A universal plug and play (UPnP) technology and a digital living network alliance (DLNA) technology enable electronic devices of various manufactures to provide services to each other and control each other. In particular, the UPnP technology enables provision of compatible audio-visual (AV) services and control between AV devices. The compatible AV service includes media steaming, uploading, and downloading.
The DLNA technology regulates home network devices such as a digital media server (DMS), a digital media player (DMP), a digital media renderer (DMR), a digital media controller (DMC), and a digital media printer (DMPr), and regulates mobile devices such as a mobile digital media server (M-DMS), a mobile digital media player (M-DMP), a mobile digital media uploader (M-DMU), a mobile digital media downloader (M-DMD), and a mobile digital media controller (M-DMC).
Hereinafter, the DMS also refers to the M-DMS, the DMP also refers to the M-DMP, and the DMC also refers to the M-DMC.
The UPnP technology classifies such devices into control point (CP) devices and control target devices. The DMC and DMP may be classified as CP devices, and the DMR, DMS, and DMPr may be classified as control target devices.
The DLNA technology defines a 2-box model and a 3-box model.
The 2-box model includes the DMP and the DMS. In the 2-box model, the DMP enables a user to search for and play content browsed and distributed by the DMS.
The 3-box model includes the DMC, the DMS, and the DMR. In the 3-box model, the DMC enables the user to search for content of the DMS to be played in the DMR.
Devices compliant with the UPnP and DLNA technologies sends and receives commands through internet protocol (IP) networking. That is, one of AV devices connected to the same network may provide an AV service to another device, may receive an AV service from another device, may control another device, or may be controlled by another device.
With the development of a multiple network environment, a plurality of networks that may be connected to each other through an access point or group owner may exist in a space where the user uses the UPnP/DLNA technology. In the case of the Ethernet or Wi-Fi, one network may be formed around the access point, and in the case of Wi-Fi P2P, another network may be formed around the group owner. That is, a plurality of access points may form a multiple network environment, a plurality of group owners may form the multiple network environment, and at least one access point and at least one group owner may form the multiple network environment. In particular, since a guideline for a DLNA operation through the Wi-Fi P2P is defined, the multiple network environment may be more general user environment of the UPnP/DLNA technology.
Currently, DPnP and DLNA operations of a single device are defined only on a network to which the device is connected, only information sharing and AV service provision between devices connected to the network are possible.
However, when the CP device and the control target device are connected to different networks, following problems may occur.
Firstly, since the CP device does not have state information of the control target device, the CP device may not determine whether a DLNA operation such as a media service and a UPnP operation are completely unavailable due to suspension of operation of the control target device, or the control target device exists in another network.
Further, even through the CP device may detect that the control target device exists in another network, it is difficult for the CP device to find the network to the control target device belongs, from among a plurality of networks.
In addition, although additional network access or network movement of the CP device or the control target device is required in order to provide an AV service, access or movement to a desired network is not supported by a UPnP or DLNA action. Therefore, additional network access management may be required, causing inconvenience to the user.
Moreover, even though the user desires to be provided with the AV service without detecting information on a network to which a device of the user belongs, the use may experience the inconvenience of detecting the information on the network when a multiple network environment is applied to the current UPnP or DLNA technology.